Bangladesh election moves online ^{CEFR B1}

Bangladesh is preparing for the 13th National Parliamentary Election on February 12, 2026. Campaigning increasingly takes place online on Facebook, TikTok, X and YouTube, and parties use videos, live streams and campaign sites to speak directly to voters.

The "state of digital" report found about 186 million active mobile connections, 82.8 million internet users (47 percent of the population) and 64 million social media users. Young people aged 13–34 are an important online audience for many campaigns.

The Election Commission has issued regulations that require candidates to submit official social media account details in advance and prohibit content that breaches the electoral code. The rules also ban using artificial intelligence to distort facts or manipulate images and videos.

Despite these rules, fact-checkers and media have found rising misinformation and AI-manipulated content. Reports note nearly 97 AI-generated items on Facebook, 268 instances of misinformation on various platforms, bot-driven "haha" reactions, and public accusations of wide misinformation campaigns.